Gas or vapor discharge device



Oct. 14, LPH

GAS OR VAPOR DISCHARGE DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 20. 1927 INVENTOR Y tel/TM Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEROY J'. BUTTOLPH, OF GRANTWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC VAPOR LAMP COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GAS R VAPOR DISCHARGE DEVICE Application filed January 20, 1927, Serial No. 162,333. Renewed March 28, 1930.

The present invention relates to gas and vapor electric discharge devices and to systems of electrical distribution therefor useful as sources of light, as means for controlling and affecting electrical currents, and useful in the arts generally. And the invention relates to such devices and systems for use on alternating current and wherein the current in each phase is passed between a given set of positive and negative electrodes and in which system means are provided for the prevention of the passage of current between any given set of electrodes except in the designed direction.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of apparatus embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawing; and the invention also consists in certain new and useful features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form of gas or vapor electric discharge device embodying the invention and a system of electrical distribution for the device and which is also included in the invention.

In the drawing the longitudinal sealed envelope 1 has a purified or conditioned gas or vapor atmosphere which in the present example is mercury vapor supplied from the two spaced apart bodies 3, 3 of'liquid mereury which are held in pools and serve there'- in as cathodes. Near each of said cathodes 3, 3 is a solid anode 8 and 8 which is connected to a coil 10 and 10, respectively, of a few turns in inductive relation to an autotransformer 12. Each of said coils 10, 10 is connected across the filament 14 of a vapor discharge current rectifier lo and 16' of the tungar type. From the respective plate electrode 18 of each of said rectifiers 16, 16

' connection is made through a variable resist-' ance 20 and 20 to an outer end of said autotransformer 12. Current supply mains 22, 22

connect to intermediate points on said coil 12 and connection is made from each of said cathodes 3,3 in series through an inductance 24 and 2st and a resistance 26 and 26 to a respective side of said auto-transformer coil 12 at a point between an end and the nearest main 22.

As a particular and working example of the embodiment used herein to illustrate the invention the mains 22, 22 are connected across a potential of 110 volts alternating current and the coil 12 is of such design as to give a 310 volt difference between the taps to the resistances 26, 26 and to give a potential difference of 100 volts on the primary of the t-ungar coupling. The discharge device in the practical example has a fused quartz envelope with a distance of ten inches between each anode and its respective cathode, the power expended in sustaining the main arcs being about 1500 watts. The rectifiers 16, 16 are six ampere tungars well known as such on the market and having definite current carrying and rectifying characteristics. The part of the coil 12 which energizes the coil 10 also applies a potential of 100 volts between each of said anodes 8 and 8 and the cathode 3 which is nearest it and thereby serves to maintain a keep alive are for each end of the device.

In the use and operation of the device described, upon alternation of current through the device 1 current passes from a given anode 8 in two are sustaining paths, one to the cathode nearer it with a potential difference of 100 volts therebetween and another to the farther cathode with a potential difference of 310 volts therebetween. The two arcs in each phase contribute as light sources and the shorter arc has the additional function of maintaining the respective mercury pool 3 or 3 in cathode condition. The rectifiers 16, 16 serve to prevent the passage of current from the device 1 by way of the anodes 8 or 8 respectively and thereby prevent their functioning as cathodes.

The inductance 24, is of such characteristic as to cause the current flow from anode 8- to cathode 3 to overlap the current flow from anode 8 to cathode 3 and thereby cause said cathode 3 to have current flowing therethrough at all times during the operation of the device in a manner Well knownin the operation of mercury cathode rectifiers of the double or multiple anode single cathode type. The said cathode 3' is likewise kept alive in the other half of the cycle. I

The above described embodiment of my invention is useful as a light source for general illumination and also, due to the use of a quartz envelope, the ultra violet rays in the hands of a competent physician can be made use of for therapeutic purposes. Furthermore, if desired, the envelope may be made of heat resisting glass in those cases where it is desired to screen out the ultra-violet or the tube can be of material opaque to light rays.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A gas or vapor electric device having a closed longitudinal envelope, an anode at each end and a cathode for each anode positioned at the opposite end of said envelope from its respective anode.

2. A gas or vapor electric device having a closed longitudinal envelope, an anode at each end and a cathode for each anode positioned at the opposite end of said envelope from its respective anode, and connected to each of said anodes a gas or vapor device which is conductive only in the direction from its respective anode. I

3. In a system of electrical distribution a gas or vapor electric device having a closed longitudinal envelope, an anode at each end and a cathode for each anode positioned at the opposite end of said envelope from its respective anode and connected to each of said anodes a gas or vapor device which is conductive only in the direction from its respective anode. I

4. In a system of electrical distribution a gas or vapor electric device having an envelope with two anodes and two cathodes therein, one for each anode, adevice in series anodes and cathodes.

with each of said anodes which is conductive only in the direction from its respective anode, and means for applying a discharge sustaining voltage across respective pairs of 5. In 'a, system of'electrical, distribution a gas or vapor electric device havin'ganenvelopejwithtwo anodes and two cathodes there-f in, one for each: anode, means for applying a discharge sustaining voltagelacross re; spective pairsof anodes andi'cathodes,=-'aiid means in the circuit ,of -each vaa'iod'e condum tive of current; i'n'a direction towardsaid anode but resistant to current passage in the opposite direction.

6. In a system ofelectrical distribution a gas or vapor electric device having an envelope with two anodes and two c thodes therein, one for each anode, means or applying a discharge sustaining voltage? across respective pairs of anodes and cathodes, and a current rectifier in series with eachof said anodes permitting current flow thereto,

7. A discharge device, a closed envelope, solid anodes at distant points therein, a gas or vapor filling therein, .a cathode for each of said anodes at a distant pointtherefrom but near another of said anodes, means forapplying a normal discharge sustaining-potential between each anode and its respective cathode, means for applying apotential less than said normal between each cathode and an-anode close to it, and means: for resisting a flow of current from the device at an anode under normal potential conditions of the tl e-. vice.

8. In a system of electrical" distribution a pair of mains for connecting to a source of" electric current supply, an an,to-transformer,

having intermediate points conne'etedto said hains, a vapor 'arc'device having a closed" envelope ,with two anodes iinda cathode for each of said anodes therein,a connection from I each of said cathodes through an inductanceand a resistance'to' opposite outer; points on said transformer, and a rectifierconnected in. series between each of said anodes; and re -1. spective outermost points on said transformer to provide current passagefromfthtransformer to saidanode.

9. In a systeniof electrical distribution, in combination, a gas or vapor are, device comprising a longitudinal container, having an anode at each'end thereof and a 'cathode for each anode at,t he opposing end of the tube therefrom, means for'connecting 'each oil,

said anodes to -"a source ofcunrent, a one, way current valve in series wlfthieach of said anodes which is conductive in the, direction toward the respective anode, and' return con-' nection from "each 'of said cathodesto the source of current supply.

, 10. In a system .of electrical distribution,

in, combination, a gas or vapor -arc device. comprising a longitudinal container having a solid anode'ateach end thereof-sand a-cathode for each anode at the ,o posite end-of, .theztube therefrom, vmeans or connecting" each of said anodes to a source'ofcurrnt, a

one way current valve-in serieswitheach, of.

said {anodes which'is "conductive inthe-direc z,

tion'f'toivard itlj erespective :anode, and re.-

turn con-nection each of said cathodes to'the source of curreiit supply. A,

;. 31 we n-0i. 1etr 1-'- rib ti n apa'ir of ma ns for-,dQnn'e in'gflto asource-'01 electric current supply, m nute-transformer "having intermediate pointsconnected'to said;

mains, a vapor arc-device having a closed envelope with two anodes and a cathode for each of said anodes therein, a connection from each of said cathodes through an inductance and a resistance to opposite outer points on said transformer, and a rectifier connected in series between each of said anodes and respective outermost points on said transformer to provide current passage from the transformer to said anode, said connections to said transformer being made to apply a potential difference between a given anode and its respective cathode sufiieient to maintain-a vapor are therebetween and to apply a potential difierence between a given anode and the cathode of another anode sutlicient to keep an are alive from said cathode but not suflicient to break down the negative electrode reluctance of the given anode or of the anode of the last said cathode.

12. In a system of electrical distribution,

. in combination, a gas or vapor arc device comprising a longitudinal container having a solid anode at each end thereof and a cathode for each anode at the opposite end of the tube therefrom, means for connecting each of said anodesto a source of current, a one way current valve in series with each of said anodes which is conductive in the direction toward the respective anode, and return connection from each of said cathodes through a resistance and inductance to the source of current supply.

13. In a system of-electrical distribution a pair of mains for connecting to a source of electric current supply, an auto-transformer having intermediate points connected to said mains, a vapor arc device having a closed envelope with two anodes and a cathode for each of said anodes therein, a connection from each of said cathodes through an inductance and a resistance toopposite outer points on said transformer, and a rectifier connected in series between each of said anodes and respective outermost points on said transformer to provide current passage from the transformer to said anode, said connectlons to said transformer being made to apply a potential difference between a given anode and its respective cathode sufiicient to maintain a vapor arc therebetween and to apply a potential difi'erence between a given anode and the cathode of another anode suificient to keep an are alive at last said cathode.

Signed at Hoboken in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey this 17th day of January, A. D. 1927. 

